BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 239 



Hessian fly. — The Hessian fly situation has continued to improve 

 throughout the year. In eastern Kansas, where danger threatened 

 during the fall of 1917, a cooperative campaign to secure the plow- 

 ing down of stubble and the gijneral observation of the safe plant- 

 ing date is believed to have been responsible, at least in part, for the 

 greatly improved conditions which prevailed during the spring and 

 summer of 1918. In Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, where full ad- 

 vantage of the safe planting period was taken by growers, the cur- 

 rent crops of winter wheat were excellent. Work on the experi- 

 mental plats was continued and intensified during the year. Many 

 new instruments were installed and two additional plats have been 

 located, one at Forest Grove, Oreg., and the other near Carlisle, Pa. 

 Investigations in the western half of the Mississippi Eiver Basin 

 have been reorganized and improved. The results obtained from the 

 experimental plats have enabled the bureau to forecast Hessian fly 

 conditions and thus to issue timely and valuable information. 



Cutworms. — Several outbreaks of cutworms occurred during the 

 summer months of 1917 in some of the Middle AVestern and South- 

 western States. A riotable outbreak of the granulated cutworm oc- 

 curred in one of the irrigated sections of southern Arizona, where 

 alfalfa is the staple forage crop. This outbreak was successfully 

 treated by means of the poisoned baits. Experimental work with 

 sawdust as a substitute for bran in such baits demonstrated the prac- 

 ticability of cheapening the mixture by the use of sawdust. 



JoiNTWORM. — Jointworm injury to wheat was unusually severe in 

 the States of Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, and portions 

 of Illinois during the year. The work of this insect doubtless was 

 responsible for a considerably decreased yield of grain in these 

 States. A new Farmers' Bulletin (No. 1006), giving advice for the 

 control of the jointworm, is in process of publication. In Michigan, 

 where injury has been general, the planting of rye instead of wheat 

 is advised, because the former grain is not subject to wheat joint- 

 worm attack and gives a more satisfactory yield than wheat in that 

 State. 



Coulee cricket. — For several years past the Coulee cricket {Per- 

 anabrus scabricoUis) has been responsible for progressively serious 

 injury to crops in Grant County, Wash., and considerable sums of 

 money have been expended by the State and county authorities in 

 fighting it. During the spring of 1918 the bureau w^as enabled to 

 provide an entomologist who could devote his entire time to the con- 

 trol of this pest, and as a result of his efforts, in cooperation with 

 the investigational staff of the bureau, complete control was secured. 

 Judging by present appearances little injury from this insect is 

 likely to occur for some time to come. In case of a subsequent out- 

 break the methods originated and applied this year doubtless will 

 prevent serious injury in the future. 



Sawfly ixjury to wheat. — In July, 1918, an outbreak of a wheat- 

 infesting sawfly occurred near Gaithersburg, Md,, where it was re- 

 sponsible for rather serious injury to winter wheat. A preliminary 

 survey subsequently conducted discovered the insect in northern Vir- 

 ginia and throughout most of Pennsylvania and Maryland. In 

 appearance and methods of ^injury the insect resembled the wheat- 

 stem sawfly, which at present is responsible for considerable injury to 

 spring wheat in North Dakota and contiguous territory. 



